aśāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ
dambhāhaṅkāra-saṁyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥkarṣayantaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ bhūta-grāmam acetasaḥ
māṁ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ tān viddhy āsura-niścayān
BG 17.5-6
aśāstra — not in the scriptures; vihitam — directed; ghoram — harmful to others; tapyante — undergo;…
dambha — with pride; ahaṅkāra — and egoism; saṁyuktāḥ — engaged;…
tān — them; viddhi — understand; āsura-niścayān — demons.
Many times we hear that demons are those who ignore prescribed rules and regulations recommended in vedas – sastras. Demons are those who ignore them and who ignore dharma, those who follow adharma and who are directed by social norms and regulations contrary to shastric restrictions.
But still – even calling ourselves devotees, BHAKTAS – even pretending to know highest esoteric aspects of knowledge, we blatantly ignore and neglect sastras.
One of the main aspect is men and women relationships. Respective duties of men and women. It is complete chaos in our movement. Even highly respected authorities talk complete asastric nonsense, what to speak about ordinary followers and newcomers who do not know nothing, what is said in shastras.
Just take one aspect – according Manu Samhita, there is no remarriage. Especially for women it is restricted – there is no remarriage.
For men it is greatest sin just to associate (what to say about to be sexually indulged) with wives of another men. It is greatest adultery for men. Woman once married is considered as a wife of this man till the end of her days. And then she comes back home to Godhead.
But still – devotee men – they freely divorce and remarry with wives of others, and devotee women freely divorce their devotee husbands, because they know – that they will be remarried again – according asuric mentality of society.
Srila Prabhupada said straightly – if women would know, that no men will marry them afterwards – then there would never be divorce.
And no one dares to say it to newcomers – what is really said in shastras. Because they think, that it will scare people away.
But this is not true. Society can prosper ONLY if women are chaste and men are responsible and dutiful according shastric rules and regulations. If there is DHARMA.
“Prabhupāda: Hm. So family tradition… Whose family tradition? Manuṣyāṇāṁ. Family… Manuṣyāṇāṁ, those who are human being, they have got family and family rituals, kula-dharma, jāti-dharma. Just like cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. This is meant for the human being, manuṣyāṇāṁ, not for the animals. So unless the human society accepts this principle of varṇāśrama-dharma ordained by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, he is not considered amongst the human being. They are as good as animals, because there is no regular, systematic principles of how to live, a human being.”
And one more thing – Kali lives in illicit, ashastric relationships with women.
SB 1.17.38
sūta uvāca
abhyarthitas tadā tasmai sthānāni kalaye dadau
dyūtaṁ pānaṁ striyaḥ sūnā yatrādharmaś catur-vidhaḥ
“Sūta Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, thus being petitioned by the personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter were performed.”
Actually original word used was just – striyaḥ.
Yes. This word actually means – women.
But because of context of verse, in correlation with word adharma – so, it is not about women itself – but it is about illicit association with them. In translation, however, word “prostitution” is used.
And on this point Srila Prabhupada was very straight. No divorce. No remarriage. No girlfriends. No living by agreement – no prostitution.